Blind Loyalty
by Voidmagic
Summary: Against their better judgment, a group of trainers venture deep into the woods to see an abandoned hospital.
1. Reckless

People didn't usually talk about hospitals, not because they had some dark stain in their history that made them unpleasant to think about, but for the fact they were mostly irrelevant. Humans rarely got hurt, and when they were in danger they had their pokemon to save them from real harm. Pokemon centers or home remedies were the go-to for any human illness, since mishaps with pokemon were the usual cause of the misfortune.

Abandoned hospitals, or abandoned buildings in general, were also uncommon, which made it surprising for Allen to find one, but not unexpected for him to want to lead an informal team investigation exploring it considering he was a sucker for such things.

The "team" he was urging to backpack sixty miles into Pinwheel Forest, including fifteen miles off-trail, was a group of currently more-or-less casual pokemon trainers whose main interest was traveling. They were all fit enough to enjoy a long walk, but were divided on the purpose of the adventure as they discussed it in a local cafe.

"Hospitals are known for having problems with dangerous ghost pokemon. That's all I'm saying," the youngest of the group said. The idea of visiting a rural, run-down hospital felt unsafe, even with the presence of the rest of the group. Pokedex entries on Litwick and its evolutions were disturbing.

"The worst of them wouldn't stick around, Liam. It's been around long enough even those pokemon have abandoned it," Allen said impatiently.

"Are you sure the person who told you about this place was telling the truth?" the newest member, a former tattoo artist from the city they were currently in, asked.

Allen huffed, shooting a glare at Ariah. "Yes, I'm positive, but even if it turns out to be a complete hoax we still get to trek through Pinwheel, which, by the way, was the original plan."

The sandy haired girl at their table shushed him. "People are looking at your loud mouth," she grumbled, glancing around the cafe.

"This deviates from our planned course," Ariah reminded. "We'll have to travel another thirty miles to get back on track."

Allen grudgingly admitted she had a point. "I guess. So Liam's not in favor," he gestured at the youngest, who stared out the window. "Who says we go?"

"A few extra miles never hurt I guess," Ariah conceded sarcastically. "Maggie?"

The other girl shrugged. "Sure."

Allen grinned triumphantly. "It'll be worth it. Trust me."

They had explored every area of Nacrene City that interested them, so leaving was a matter of restocking supplies and getting their stuff from the apartment Ariah's friend had been gracious enough to let them stay in for the night, despite how cramped they'd made it.

The first two days were mostly silent, with occasional banter and some pausing to eat or for Liam to whip out his pokedex and scan pokemon he had never read of before, since the region was new to him. None of them had a strong interest in battling or catching pokemon, though Ariah took pictures to sketch later when they stopped.

On the third day an odd incident contrasted against the normality of the rest of the trip, and made Liam extremely anxious. Allen insisted they were getting close and would find the building either that day or the next. The landmarks his informant described were all where they had been said to be, which made him increasingly optimistic. Unfortunately, the woods started getting darker before they saw any sign of the building.

As they were setting up their tents Liam's espeon, who he usually let walk alongside him, became very agitated. Liam too felt a sense of uneasiness. However, because neither of them could see or hear anything out of the ordinary their concerns were dismissed by the others. Maggie took pity on Espeon and released her butterfree.

"So Espeon won't stay up alone," she answered Liam's questioning look curtly.

Espeon sat a few feet away from the tents, tail flicking back and forth and ears constantly readjusting. Liam could feel her nervous energy as if it were his own and couldn't help but twitch slightly. He could tell the others were beginning to get uncomfortable watching them, but there was nothing any of them could do except maybe go back the way they came. Liam knew Allen wouldn't agree to the idea.

He could already tell he wasn't going to sleep anytime soon. Butterfree was babbling to Espeon, who looked a little more relaxed thanks to his presence. He didn't want to interrupt their conversation, so he turned to face the opposite direction. The feeling they were almost back-to-back was reassuring.

"Are you staying up?" Ariah asked behind him.

"Yeah. Until Espeon calms down."

Ariah's footsteps moved closer and she sat beside him. He kept his gaze on the trees, trying to make out various shadowy shapes.

"I didn't think ghost types scared you," she said. Liam glared at her and saw a smirk. She was teasing.

"Only the ones that consume your soul or steal your life force."

She nudged him, nearly knocking him over. "There aren't any ghosts in these woods, nor has anyone gone missing to my knowledge. Don't worry."

He rubbed his sore arm and winced. "Careful, Muscles. I'm a fragile young child," he said half-jokingly. She laughed.

"Sorry, Liam. Sometimes I fo-" Her words were interrupted by Espeon's vehement hissing and Butterfree's startled cry. Liam rushed over in time to see a faint light disappear into the thick woods. The pokemon went silent.

"Did you see that?" he whispered, knowing Ariah was right behind him.

"No. What did you see?"

Espeon rubbed against Liam's leg. He bent down to pick her up. Her agitation was replaced by fatigue as she curled up in his arms.

"Ariah, what's going on?" Maggie asked. Liam turned to see her head poking out of the tent flaps.

"The pokemon were startled by something, but it's gone now," Ariah said. Maggie seemed confused for a moment, but retreated back into the tent. Ariah looked at Liam. He shrugged.

"There was a floating, purple light. It went behind the trees."

Ariah glanced behind him, then petted Espeon. "Whatever it was, it's gone now," she said quietly. "Go get some rest. You look like you need it." She left him for the tent she shared with Maggie. They whispered briefly before settling down.

"Do you want to stay out here with Butterfree?" Liam asked his pokemon. Confirmation seeped into his thoughts and he put her down. "Be safe."

If he didn't know any better, he would think Allen was dead as he entered the tent. His breathing was slow and barely visible when Liam layed next to him. Liam rolled on his side and felt for Espeon's serenity.

He woke up in a cold sweat, irritation and unease dominating his emotions. It took him a moment to realize what he felt came from Espeon. She hissed outside the tent as he got up. Allen hadn't moved, and didn't make a sound as Liam zipped up the flap behind him.

Butterfree fluttered tiredly near Espeon, watching her freak out with a bored expression. Liam sighed, trying to calm his nerves and channel a soothing emotion into his pokemon. When Espeon stilled he cautiously approached her. She looked at him. He felt a sense of urgency to leave - run back the way they came as fast as he could.

"We'll need to have a talk with the others," he said, more to himself. Exasperation followed his words. "Don't be like that. We can't leave them like this," he told Espeon. She rolled her eyes.

The night dragged on at an agonizing pace. Every time he began to slip into a half-sleep Espeon would start hissing, sometimes yowling. Butterfree seemed to have finally sensed something too. He flew around restlessly, sometimes using Sleep Powder on the surrounding area. If the noise woke the others, they didn't get up to check on anything. Liam guessed they probably heard him trying to quiet Espeon and were reassured.

As much as he didn't want to bother anyone, he wished one of them would get fed up enough to come out and say something. He was getting paranoid, and the lack of sleep wasn't helping. He felt there were several pairs of eyes on him, watching them from every angle. Out of the corners of his eyes he saw lights floating in the darkness, but as soon as he turned to look at them they were gone. His pokedex was out just in case he could react fast enough to scan one of them. It didn't take him long to understand it was a hopeless endeavor.

He didn't feel safe until morning came. Espeon also seemed to deem it safe, curling up next to his hunched over form. He massaged his scalp in an attempt to reduce the headache the night had left him with.

The zipping sound behind him was an unwelcome reminder there was another day's hike to anticipate, and the visit to the abandoned hospital. Every fiber of his being screamed at the idea of going there.

"What was going on last night?" Maggie asked dryly.

"Hell," he answered without looking up.

"From the sound of it." She rummaged around in her backpack. Liam scanned the forest for the lights he had seen the night before or anything that could have caused them.

Ariah came out a few seconds later and glanced around, finally settling on Liam. "Help me take the tent down," she said in her rough morning voice.

Liam obliged. Once they had the canvas rolled up and the poles put away Ariah gave him a breakfast bar and some dried fruit.

"It'll probably be another hour before Allen wakes up. Maybe we should look around, see if we can find something," she suggested to Maggie.

"It's gone," Maggie mumbled, watching Espeon sleep.

"I don't think they left behind any signs of being here. If the floating lights are anything to go by…" Liam trailed off, letting them figure out the rest. He wasn't sure how open they would be to the idea of being stalked by ghost pokemon, especially since there weren't supposed to be any in the first place.

"They weren't aggressive," Maggie said.

"How many do you think there were?" Ariah asked.

"I don't know. It felt like no matter where I looked, there was always one behind me. And I saw several of the lights. Butterfree used Sleep Powder a few times, but it didn't seem to help much." He looked at Maggie. "Even if they didn't attack us, they didn't feel friendly either. Espeon can usually tell these things, and she was really scared."

"It would be wise to forget this whole thing and go to our main course," Ariah said thoughtfully.

Maggie nodded, but added sarcastically, "What are the odds Allen would just continue this way without us, or come back later?"

Ariah groaned. "He's not that stubborn, is he?"

Maggie had been traveling with him the longest, and Liam had been around them long enough to know that once Allen was set on something, no abundance of red flags could turn him away, though he might try to dissuade others from following him. Ariah was too new to have participated in their more disastrous feats.

"Ten to one," Liam bet. "And we can't just leave him, can we?"

Maggie shook her head.

"How is he still alive," Ariah asked.

"Us," Maggie deadpanned.

"Unfortunately," Liam said as a _zip_ signalled Allen was awake.

He walked over to them groggily and sat next to Liam, resting his backpack in his lap as he pulled out some cereal bars.

"You're up early," Liam commented.

Allan grunted. "I had a nightmare."

"About?" Maggie prompted.

"Going to the hospital. Liam's Espeon started freaking out and hissing and everything and then the walls turned into cards and the building collapsed."

"You didn't wake up during the night?" Liam asked.

Allen stared at him. "No. Why?"

"Espeon and Butterfree were reacting to something in the forest. We barely got any sleep, and Liam was out all night trying to calm them," Ariah said.

Allen looked suspiciously at Espeon and Butterfree, who were both sleeping soundly. "They seem fine now."

"Something was watching us last night," Maggie said pointedly.

Allen seemed conflicted for a moment, then, "It should be safe during the day, and we'll be a few miles away from here by tonight."

Ariah sighed.

"I don't want to pressure you guys into this if you really don't want to come. We can meet up at Castelia," he offered, unknowingly fulfilling his friends' predictions.

Liam knew that if Espeon were awake it would be more tempting to do what Allen suggested, since she would be completely on board with it, but she wasn't and he didn't want to leave Allen to whatever fate his stupidity may lead him to. Granted, Maggie had been a formidable battler before traveling with Allen, and still was, but he felt he would be abandoning them if he left and that felt wrong. He guessed the others felt the same.

"Let's make this quick," Ariah said.

Allen nodded.

Maggie helped him pack up his tent while Liam recalled the sleeping pokemon. He gave Maggie's ball back to her and they started off. Allen was less enthusiastic than the day before, solemn even, but cheered up as he noticed more landmarks. He told them he was certain they would reach the building before noon. At that news, Maggie released her Sableye, giving Liam a meaningful look he interpreted as, "In case you're right." Sableye grouched and tried to stick to the shadiest parts of their path, despite the fact it was already pretty dark with how close together the trees were.

Allen was right about the timing: they arrived at the hospital a few hours after he spoke. His wide grin at the sight was reassuring. They trailed after him as he circled around the building, explaining the architecture and trying to guess how old it was.

The building was indeed old, if its decrepit state was anything to go by. In some places, trees pressed against the walls, their roots upsetting the foundation, and in others the walls were crumbled enough for Liam to squeeze through. The glass in the windows were mostly shattered, and through them they could see rusty bed frames and peeling paint. In one windowless room Liam observed through a large crack in the wall the bed frames were haphazardly piled against the door. He shuddered and called for the others to look at it.

"Suspicious," Maggie said.

"Probably part of the reason this place was abandoned," Allen contemplated.

"In some of these rooms the mattresses and sheets were left behind. I wonder what happened," Ariah said.

"It doesn't look like anyone left this room." Maggie smirked.

Liam glared at her. "Obviously. Anyway, the building doesn't look very stable. We probably shouldn't go inside," he said to Allen.

"Scared?" Allen teased. Liam _tsk_ ed. Allan snickered. "Don't worry. I've been in worse places," he said, continuing around the building.

"Dear Reshiram," Ariah muttered.

Liam couldn't help but wonder why the hospital was built so far away from civilization. If it had been a pokecenter, it would have made more sense, but its main purpose was clearly intended to be for humans. That, and the few beds that hadn't been stripped gave him the impression the doctors hadn't transferred all the patients, which was a disturbing thought on its own, but the beds were empty and disheveled, and, of course, the room with the blocked door…

They were at the front of the hospital again. Unsurprisingly, Allen was adamant on taking a quick look inside, with or without them. Maggie told them to wait outside while she went in with him, in case something fell and they got trapped. Sableye followed after her obediently.

Ariah brought out her tranquill and yawned. Liam would be tempted take a nap, even though it was a bad idea, but paranoia was pulling at him again now that they were separated from Allen and Maggie.

"Why did you quit your job?" he asked, trying to distract himself. He realized he sounded rude and scrambled to elaborate. "I mean, your tattoos look really awesome. I kind of just assumed things were going well before you joined us."

"They were. These are from a while ago actually," she said, gesturing at her arms. "My family traveled a lot when I was growing up, and I got most of my inspiration from the different types of pokemon and environments. After being in one place for a few years, I started feeling stuck and got kind of bored with my work. It started feeling like actual work, you know?"

Liam smiled. "And here I thought being an adult meant abandoning your hopes and dreams and getting your personality sucked out as you struggle to live on minimum wages."

She ruffled his hair. "A kid your age shouldn't say stuff like that," she reproached playfully. "Besides, you'll probably get into your thirties and still not feel like an adult. Life is looking up to the people ahead of you and thinking you still have a long way to go."

"So, does this inspire you?" He was curious about how she saw the hospital, with its crumpling walls and dirty floors. It made him tense, afraid. It felt wrong and sad.

She looked around. "See the front of the hospital? There used to be a garden there, and there was a table there," she pointed to the building's right, "but now it's covered in grepa plants. Imagine how this place must have looked when it was being cared for."

That was not what he expected to hear, but the picture she painted was almost comforting. "Quaint," he said, though the word felt odd describing a hospital.

Ariah laughed softly. "I may want to draw this later," she said after a moment, pulling out her camera.

Some time passed, and Allen and Maggie hadn't come back. The hospital and the forest were both completely silent except for leaves rattling in a gentle breeze. It was peaceful. Liam felt like they were being watched.

"It's been awhile," Ariah said.

"When was the last time you heard or saw a wild pokemon?" Liam asked suddenly.

"Uhh," Ariah looked at him, surprised. "Last night, I gue-" She paused, staring at him. "Afternoon yesterday, at the latest. Not counting the ones last night."

They considered that worriedly, but Ariah's thoughts switched quickly back to their friends.

"ALLEN, MAGGIE," she yelled loudly, startling Liam. If they were in the building, Liam was sure they heard her.

The silence was eerie after Ariah's call. She yelled again, then waited a few minutes.

"What pokemon do you have?" she asked Liam.

"Just Espeon and Munchlax," he said nervously, suspecting she was about to leave him.

"Bring out Munchlax. I'll leave Tranquill with you too," she said. "Tranquill, keep him safe." Tranquill looked down at them from the branch he was perched on and nodded. Ariah released Swellow.

"Be back in a minute," she said as she walked into the building.

Liam let Munchlax out and fed him some pokemon food. "Espeon's probably hungry too," he mumbled, letting her out as well. A wave of irritation hit him as she observed their surroundings. She gave him a blank look, and he could feel the accusation. "I couldn't talk them out of it. I'm sorry."

His apology was met with exasperation.

"Here," he offered, pushing a bowl of food in front of her, "I wanted you to rest, but you should eat."

She stared at the food distastefully. It was a kind she usually liked, so Liam guessed her appetite was suffering. She ate it without his encouragement though.

Minutes passed. Then what felt like an hour. Liam checked his pokedex and found they were well into the afternoon. He looked at the hospital, hoping to see one of his friends through the windows or, better, walking out the open doors.

The hospital was still, the silence oppressive. The breeze was gone, as well as the peaceful vibe. Liam still felt watched.

He had recalled Espeon soon after she finished eating. She was still tired, and the waves of agitation rolling off her made it doubly disadvantageous to have her out. He yawned and closed his eyes, listening to Munchlax renew his chewing as he ate something he'd had in his fur who knows how long...

* * *

 _Leaves crunched under the weight of several people. The breeze was back, stronger than before. It felt nice against his arms and, as he lifted his head to see who was approaching him, his face._

" _Well that was a hassle." Ariah sighed in frustration, glaring at Allan. He stared at the ground like a chastised child._

" _Let's go," Maggie said coldly. She walked off without them._

 _Liam stood up, worried. "What happened?"_

" _The building's infested with lampent. Allen and Maggie got trapped in the room with all the beds against the door." Ariah grimaced._

" _The bodies stunk," Maggie yelled back at them._

" _Come on, let's get out of here," Ariah said. She recalled Tranquill and jogged to catch up with Maggie, Allan following her._

 _Liam quickly recalled Munchlax and ran after them-_

* * *

A screech broke him out of his dream. He snapped his head up. "Agh." He winced at the pain in his neck and looked up in time to see Tranquill fly over to him. His aggressive, loud behavior startled him. He tried to look around him but saw nothing. Tranquill relaxed.

"It's gone?" he asked, still shaken. Tranquill was always, well, tranquil.

Tranquill nodded.

Liam suddenly remembered Munchlax. He was standing where he last saw him. He looked around and saw no sign of him. "Where's Munchlax," he asked Tranquill worriedly. Tranquill turned toward the forest. "You're kidding," he said, disappointed. Munchlax was his first pokemon and a gift from Allen. Tranquill stared at him. "I have to go find him." He glanced at the hospital. Still no sign of anyone.

He started toward the forest, only to be yanked back by his collar. He could hear Tranquill's wings flapping. "Tranquill," he shouted, frustrated. He shook the pokemon off and turned to him. "I can't let Munchlax just wander off alone. If something happens to him, it's my fault. I can't just sit here doing nothing while he might be getting hurt!"

He spun around, ready to run off without direction. Tranquill flew in front of him and screeched. He drew back too quickly to keep his balance. The flying type landed on his chest, glaring him down. He stared back, shocked.

"Fine. I'll stay here," he finally said. Tranquill watched him cautiously before hopping off. Liam pushed himself up and glanced between the hospital and the forest. He felt tense. Fear and worry twisted up his stomach.

He pulled out his pokedex and let out a frustrated groan. He stood up and yelled at the hospital, "It's been a few _hours_ , Ariah!"

It was silent.

Tranquill made a noise he couldn't place. He looked down to see him staring out into the forest anxiously, and turned around.

A lampent hovered between the trees, blocking the way they came. It made no effort to hide. More began to appear until they were completely outnumbered. Liam let out Espeon. She glanced around and filled him with a sense of hopelessness and determination. They were going to die, but not easily. He looked back at the hospital, trying to convey his thoughts to Espeon. The lampent had left the path open, though he could see some lurking in the woods behind it. Obviously a trap, but his friends were in there and if their pokemon were alive and stuck somewhere maybe they could find them.

Espeon must have gotten the message and passed it to Tranquill. He screeched and used Air Cutter. Espeon urged him to run. He didn't question it.

There was barely anything on the first floor. The doors were all open, except the one barricaded from the inside, and the rooms were empty. Espeon didn't see anything either and kept him running up to the second floor. He tried the first closed door he saw and burst into the room, looking around wildly. Nothing. He went on to the next, noticing Espeon was no longer beside him. He felt a strong will to keep going. Espeon must have stayed on the first floor to buy him time. She was encouraging both of them. He tried to reciprocate the feeling himself as he kept searching, finding nothing but empty rooms.

The last door he tried would barely budge. Something on the other side held it in place. He threw himself against it and pushed until he could squeeze through the space he made. Espeon's will was fading, even with his support.

As soon as he saw what was in the room, his blood ran cold. A chandelure floated in the center of the room, watching him. Behind it Maggie and Allen lay prone on the ground, and between it and them Sableye and Butterfree's battered forms were collapsed. At his feet lay Swellow, who he guessed Chandelure had thrown against the door. A pidgeotto lay sprawled out a few feet away, Ariah trapped unmoving beneath it. Scattered around were the limp bodies of other pokemon, who he recognized as Allen's, and a few skeletons.

Liam's break in resolve was the last straw for Espeon. He felt a sudden emptiness and knew she was gone. It left him breathless for a moment, his mind blank.

"I'm surprised we didn't hear any of this," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "It must have happened so quickly."

The chandelure slowly floated closer, as if it had all the time in the world. He thought he might throw up. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

"I guess you were abandoned. I mean, you need a Dusk Stone to evolve and you beat her," he gestured vaguely at Maggie, "so you probably had a trainer or something." He was rambling. He didn't know what he meant by "something". He didn't know if his assumptions were correct, or if he was right to make them. "I don't know why you chose to stick around here." The accusation in his thoughts didn't reach his tone.

The chandelure remained impassive. Liam imagined it thought he was trying to prolong his death. He had no idea what he was doing. Anger tangled with his fear and horror and he knew he was grieving but he also felt numb. There was nothing he could do.

He felt like he would wake up any minute. None of what happened since the previous night felt real. It couldn't be. He couldn't have lost everyone he cared about in less than a day. Just hours ago he had spoken with Ariah about the hospital's garden. He must have fallen asleep afterward. Ariah was right next to him, or wandering around the building again to take pictures because none of this had happened and they weren't in danger. Allen and Maggie would come back and shake him awake-

The chandelure was in his face now, staring at him curiously. It was in no rush. It had all the time in the world, and Liam had, at most, a minute. He knew that as much as his brain denied it. "It was wrong…" Liam paused, startled by his voice. It was soft, almost gentle, but against the silence that filled the room too loud. He started over in a hushed whisper. "It was wrong to abandon you, but what you are doing is so much worse."

Chandelure brought a flame close to his face. He closed his eyes.

* * *

Author's Note

I don't own Pokemon. If you liked this story, feel free to tell me why in a review. If you didn't like it, please give me your thoughts on what bothered you - what you think I could do better. I try to keep an open mind and consider what other people say. I know I left quite a few open ends. I didn't provide a lot of character description. Did leaving more to the imagination make you think about the characters more? How can I draw you in more effectively? What did you think of the characters? Just a few things you could consider.

Thank you for reading this sad ghost story.


	2. Naive

Author's Note

This is the semi one-shot I've been working on between summer cleaning, searching for scholarships, and an extremely frustrating bout of insomnia, which is why it's coming up later than I'd originally hoped. I tried to focus on setting description and (hopefully?) better mood setting. If you like it feel free to tell me why. If you don't I'll still appreciate your insight as long as you elaborate. I hope it isn't too unpleasant to read though.

* * *

The hospital reminded Ariah of an art project, hastily pasted together, heedless of the gaps in its walls and the tasteless splotches of peeling, yellowed paint against bubbled, cracked plaster. The wooden countertops of the kitchen splintered at the edges, the light blue paint on the cabinets faded and peeled with the walls'. Some of the patients' tarnished, brass bed frames were naked - others disheveled, stiff sheets covering their thin mattresses. As if to add to the insult, the original occupants had left it. Seasons' worth of dead leaves had blown through the shattered windows, scattering with what fell off the walls. It made her body feel heavy and tired, but drew her attention back every time she looked away. The building was undeniably art. She thought of the times she would come home from school to find one of her neighbors sitting in her mother's chair, drinking her mother's coffee from her mother's cup because her parents were still at work and she had to be watched. She remembered when, not that long ago, she would return to her tiny apartment, littered with canvases, paints, papers, and everything she needed to express herself, but no one else to fill the silence. She felt the discomfort of how purposefully cruel she used to be to her cousin.

"So, does this inspire you?"

The hospital felt wrong, lonely, and sad. It oozed all kinds of regret.

The kid next to her alternated between glancing at the forest and staring at the hospital as if sheer willpower, or perhaps silent pleading, could make it return their friends. She wanted to tell him it wasn't alive. Or was it? No, it wasn't. They both needed a distraction, the problem was her thoughts ran just as easily while she was talking as they did when she had nothing else to pay attention to.

"See the front of the hospital? There used to be a garden there, and there was a table there, but now it's covered in grepa plants." She latched on to the first thing she saw and tried to picture what it could be if someone were maintaining it. It was, at least, a slightly effective way to combat the overall tone of the work before them. If she imagined long enough, it's current state didn't matter. She told him to see it for what it could be.

She knew she would regret taking pictures. Part of her didn't want to see the building again. The other half wanted to sooth the memory, draw the hospital in a gentle, less emotionally jarring fashion. Art had always been her way of dealing with stress. It was also a way to alter memories - draw her own version of what she saw and dispose of the pictures. Every time she recalled the building she would make herself think of the rendition. In the back of her mind, she felt it was cowardly, but there was no harm in doing it.

She waited with Liam. It had been too long, but there was no sound from the hospital. The forest was silent. Had it always been so quiet? Every whispering leaf felt sudden and loud. She should have gone in sooner, but she was afraid to leave the kid. He had relaxed throughout the day, but his exhausted red eyes still darted around from time to time. She waited some more.

"It's been a while."

"When was the last time you heard or saw a wild pokemon?"

She paused before she could finish her answer. That was it. That was the empty space that caused the silence. Suddenly the quiet became even more eerie.

She didn't have time to think about that. Their friends were still in the hospital. She needed to make sure they were ok and get them moving again. She called for them. No answer. She knew before she tried again she would have to go in. A gut instinct told her not to leave Liam, but she had to, so she left Tranquill to watch over him and let Swellow accompany her.

The hospital had one set of doors. They stood open, trapped in place by overgrown grass and weeds. The thick wood framed what was probably some of the only unbroken glass until the second floor, which she'd noted while they were looking around had fewer broken windows. The doors hadn't done much more than welcome the weather since whoever had last opened them, resulting in discolored, warped hardwood around the entrance. In one of the corners closest to her there was a small reception area, and doors with frosted glass windows lined the walls. If some of the wood wasn't splintered, if the glass were clean and unbroken, and the walls and floor were neat the hospital would look nice. She thought of Liam as she explored the rooms. The word "quaint" came to mind.

Her footsteps and the rustling of her clothes felt jarring as she moved, and the whine of unoiled hinges when she opened a door was louder. She tried to avoid the noise by squeezing between the door and the frame when she could. The nagging urge to yell again was out of the question, so she half-whispered her friends' names occasionally. Finding all the rooms devoid of life, she skeptically studied the stairs. The steps were worn and sloped, and the wood splintered in some places. They looked sturdy enough, though they creaked under her weight as she ascended. She wondered if she should have heard Maggie and Allen walking up. They were lighter than her, and wouldn't have caused such noise.

The second floor was in better shape than the first, with the panes still intact and the floor cleaner and less damaged. The rooms weren't much different than those of the first floor, aside from a lack of dead leaves and, for the most part, broken glass, but that was enough for her to feel odd leaving the doors open. There was more of a sense of composure about them, and the fact long before she came someone had inhabited the rooms felt more real. At the end of the hallway was a windowless, heavy looking door she saved for last. It was already closed, and creaked louder than the others. The walls were thicker, which was explained when she saw kraft paper and fluff instead of brick behind the plaster. Momentarily she wondered why the hospital would soundproof one of their rooms, but the next detail she noticed as she edged around the door was Maggie's pale skin and long, sandy hair, followed immediately by Allen's freckled face and gangly form. She glanced around quickly and recoiled at the sight of dark, withered flesh and the scattered bodies of various pokemon.

For a moment she hesitated. It would be easy to assume Allen and Maggie were dead, but how would she tell Liam? Did it matter? He would probably follow her if she insisted. After all, he was younger, and not really hard-headed enough to go against her when she took authority.

But what if Allen and Maggie weren't dead? They didn't look severely injured, albeit bruised. It would be cruel to leave them if they needed help. If she were injured and left by her friends because they just assumed… She sniffed and put a hand over her face, glancing at Swellow. The least she could do was make sure they were dead. If whatever had hurt them and the others in the room was still there, though, it would be better to have some kind of back-up. Liam was her only option. She exhaled loudly. She didn't want Liam in the hospital. There was still a chance he could get away. He had her tranquill, and his munchlax and espeon. Espeon had more common sense than any of them. Ariah almost laughed at the thought. If Espeon was with him, he would probably be ok. Tranquill would protect him as they left the forest.

Taking a deep breath, she gave Swellow a heads up, then pushed the door all the way open. Swellow entered the room cautiously, and, upon straightening to his full height in front of Maggie and Allen, Ariah approached him. As she lowered herself to her knees the door creaked, stopping her mid-crouch. She spun around and was blinded by Swellow's body as it flew past her awkwardly. He pushed the door the rest of the way closed with a soft thud before collapsing. Ariah opened her mouth to give a command, and choked on a thick gas. Swellow struggled to get up, despite the lightness of his impact. Ariah's body went into autopilot, grabbing another pokeball and releasing the creature inside it as Swellow slumped against the door.

"Pidge, Quick Attack."

Pidgeotto's form blurred as he lunged, sending Chandelure into the wall. Plaster cracked off at the impact. Nauseated by Chandelure's smog, Ariah made her way toward Swellow. Chandelure hit Pidgeotto across the head with an arm, disorienting him while he used psychic to throw him back. His body crashed into Ariah's. She dry-heaved under his weight as Chandelure floated into view. His arms moved gracefully in gentle arcs, a calming dance that demanded attention. Her heaving stopped, her eyes stuck on the flickers and undulations of his flames. Her breathing evened as a heaviness settled over her.

It was frustrating and unfair. Their only chance had been to avoid the hospital, and they should have- They did. They had known the place was bad, but because of their desire to protect one reckless person they all faced the same consequence. Liam was the only one left. She focused on him. He could still escape.

Smoke curled around her body, contrasting lightly against glimpses of darker grey. Every time she thought she would run into a wall or fall into a pit or do something other than just walk straight on even ground the smoke rushed around her again, pressing in on all sides like it was filling a sudden vacancy of air. During those times, she could lift her hand inches from her face and still see nothing but grey. The smoke was scentless, tasteless, and definitely not a result of condensed moisture, although it could be termed fog as much as it was smoke. She felt she was suffocating. The place was endless and ever-changing, but always the same. The same colors, the same textures she could see but not touch, the same lack of enough difference to satisfy her. She couldn't even feel it against her skin. That was enough to keep her retreating into her own mind, reliving ghosts of sensation and vision.


End file.
